The Auditor General and the Auditor General (CAG) reviewed the records of the Regional Joint Education Joint Bureau and found that the application of auxiliary and self-sufficiency universities in Tamil Nadu, undergraduate or graduate programs were too high.
The University Education Bureau issued an annual guideline that universities can charge Rs 48 for UG course application fees, while PG courses are Rs 58. The university can charge Rs 2 registration fee per applicant. SC/ST students are exempt from application fees.
The CAG report for the year ended March 2023, tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday, said a scrutiny of records of data from 95 aided and self-financing colleges functioning under the eight regional offices of the Directorate of Collegiate Education for the period 2021-24, found that 72 colleges had collected more fee, ranged from ₹50 to ₹545, from 1,29,579 applicants, other than SC/ST category. This resulted in an over-collect of Rs 1.34 crore.
Rs 1,280 crore from up to 16 universities was collected from 82,389 applicants as application processing fee. The audit found that the overall excess collection reached Rs 3.14 crore in July 2022. Regarding why no action was initiated, the government replied that under the TN Private Colleges Regulation Act, it has no authority to control self-financing universities.
CAG noted that Article 28 of the bill authorizes the government to ensure that “fees or payments designated by the competent authority (referring to government authority, officials or persons authorized by the government) are collected.” CAG insists that all universities will inevitably comply with government orders. The government responded that refunding fees will be difficult as students from 2019-20 to 2021-22 will leave the university after completing their UG courses.
CAG recommends giving strict instructions to the University to charge prescribed fees and taking measures to direct the University to refund the excess fees charged.
Unused buildings
The CAG found that under the Bureau of Technical Education (Dote), the Government Polytechnic Institute in Ambalakaranpettai Melur, Madurai District, had built dormitories and hotels for the principal, but did not have the composite walls of the institution.
The academy has built an auditorium worth Rs 60.93 lakh, but it has barely been used. The construction of the guesthouse of over Rs 1.118 crore, the principal’s dormitory and sports club/sports club/sports club/sports club/sports club/sports club/sports arena has lasted for more than six years. Only 13% of work on composite walls ensures the safety of the agency is done. The college has not yet worked on internal water supply, two-wheeled parking lot and arches, which cost Rs 201 crore, which will benefit students.
During Cag’s inquiry, Dote said that the principal’s dormitory and hotel are crucial given the university’s distance from Melur Taluk and Madurai. But CAG said that by AICTE specifications, these buildings are called “ideal” rather than “essential”.
Furthermore, when the university serves only one-day scholars at Melur, this little bit does not prove the need for a gym. The principal said that the wall of compound was not completed due to the cost of the revision of the project. Similarly, the audit said the lack of accommodation nearby and the inability to find snacks for guests has resulted in the hotel and the principal’s residence being unused. The government said the principal’s dormitory was occupied and the gym was transformed into a laboratory. The structure of the composite wall has begun.
CAG recommends that the order should be standardized as a building construction specification for the Government Polytechnic, seeking detailed reasons for the building organized by the user rather than relying on the public works department. It urged the government to take steps to use idle buildings.
publishing – April 30, 2025 01:33 AM IST
